Sparta To Set Comprehensive Review Of Food Truck Regulations

Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowery said it is time for the city to develop a long-term approach to food trucks and mobile food vendors that addresses all concerns.

Lowery told the City Council Thursday night the group will hold a meeting in the next 90 days to examine city ordinances and codes. He said they have worked on things in a more piecemeal approach in recent months. He said he wants real feedback to complete a comprehensive council review.

“Let’s get it right the next time and if it takes us a little bit of time, I’m willing to take that time to get it right, because I don’t want to keep addressing it,” Lowery said. “What happens is one person don’t like, ‘oh, I’m good with this one,’ ‘Oh, I don’t like that one,’ ‘Let’s change this.’ And we’re right back up here doing it again. So let’s try to get it right this next time.”

Lowery said he has been sending out emails trying to gather comments from vendors, leaders, and residents. He said he wants feedback on every aspect of the rules.

“Look at all the cities around because it’s out there,” Lowery said. “You can look at all the towns. You’re going to see everything from 500 foot from a restaurant to zero foot. You’re going to see from no hours to I saw one today, Brownsville, I think toward Memphis from 10:00 a.m. Until 06:00 p.m. Is the hours. They’re allowing power to hook up. They’re not allowing power to hook up.”

The goal, according to Lowery, all rules than can stand up for years, not constantly be changed.

“Let’s make Sparta better from now on and where the next mayors don’t have to keep addressing these things,” Lower said. “But if we work together and don’t get too quick at times.”

In other business, the council approved a bid to resurface the tennis and basketball courts at North Carter Street Park.

“We’ve had a time just trying to find a company to do it, so I’m glad to have these bids here,” Lowery said.

Public Works Director Dillard Quick said the 2023 paving work has been completed.

“Now we have to go through and do the striping and we’re working on the list for the striping,” Quick said. “And then we have some streets that we’re going to add to the striping list that have faded. The Walmart intersection, the one at McDonald’s, the rest of South Young Street. There’s some streets that need to be freshened up so we’re going to add those to the list.”

Council also voted unanimously to solicit bids for landscape architects for the new Splash Pad project.